The co-host of ABC’s The Chew and owner of multiple restaurants says his enjoyment of those meals is part of what inspired his latest cookbook, Michael Symon’s 5 in 5. That’s kitchen-talk shorthand for his formula: “Five fresh ingredients plus five minutes equals 120 fantastic dinners.”

Inspired by his own busy life and the desire to eat well, Symon wanted to show home cooks how to get a quick meal on the table that’s made from scratch.

The book is based on his “5 in 5” segment on The Chew, where he shows viewers how to make a satisfying dinner for a family of four for less than $5 per serving.

In his latest book, Symon embraces fresh, all-natural ingredients and some pantry staples to serve up recipes for an inspiring array of dishes, including pastas and skillet dinners, kebabs, sandwiches, and more. Instructions are simple and include plenty of color photos.

“My feeling on healthy food is that the more you can cook from scratch, the healthier you’ll be,” says Symon, adding he’s not a doctor but a chef who’s been cooking professionally for 30 years.

An Iron Chef on Food Network’s Iron Chef America, Symon also was host of the Cooking Channel’s Symon’s Suppers, still seen in reruns. He says it may take you a few minutes longer than it takes him to cook the recipes in his book (considering his years of experience), but he points out “it’s still a small amount of time.”

And while he likes to listen to Led Zeppelin when cooking, that’s not a requirement. “I do have a Led Zep problem, I will admit it,” he says.

One thing he doesn’t have a problem with is energy. Married 20 years, Symon says he’s usually in bed by 12 or 12:30 a.m. and up at 5 every morning. “I wake up, have a double espresso, walk the dogs (Ozzy and Ruby) and I’m off to the races.”

That energy came in handy during the year it took to create 5 in 5, written with Douglas Trattner. Symon’s culinary assistant, Katie Pickens, and his wife Liz helped test the recipes. They include everything from sirloin with lemon and oregano, to pork tenderloin with soy, ginger and cilantro, to garlic chicken with asparagus.

One of his favorite recipes in the book involves seafood. “It’s for grilled swordfish,” he says. “It’s based on my love of Italy.” Symon notes in his book that swordfish has been over-fished and over-consumed, but thanks to conservation measures has made a comeback. His recipe pairs this firm, meaty fish with a red bell pepper and onion salad, including a thinly sliced jalapeno and fresh basil leaves. The fish itself is seasoned with salt and pepper, and drizzled with olive oil before it’s grilled.

5 in 5 begins with advice for stocking your pantry with items such as bread crumbs and kosher salt. It offers time-saving tips: cutting ingredients to a consistent size so they all finish cooking at the same time, for example. Then it’s divided into eight chapters, such as Man With a Pan and Let’s Grill. But the first chapter, on pasta, is Symon’s favorite.

When it comes to boxed versus fresh pasta, Symon says he loves them both. “I like boxed pasta for thinner noodles, like angel hair,” he says. “For thicker pastas, fresh is better.”

When asked to pick his favorite pasta recipe, he can’t. “It’s like picking your favorite child!”

Salmon with Rosemary and Garlic

Serves 4

Thanks to its robust flavor, salmon is one of the few types of fish that can stand up to rosemary, an assertive herb that typically is paired with meat. Along those lines, this dish also can handle a good amount of heat, so I tend to go heavy with the red pepper flakes. Feel free to tone it down to accommodate your heat tolerance.

Season the salmon on both sides with salt and black pepper. Lay out 4 large pieces of aluminum foil. In the center of each piece, put 1 piece of salmon, 1 sprig rosemary, 3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Evenly distribute the garlic among the piles and season with salt and black pepper. Bring up all 4 corners of the foil to begin to form a pouch. Before sealing, add 1/2 cup white wine to each packet. Tightly seal the packets.

Put the packets on the grill and close the lid (or cover, if using a grill pan). Cook until hot throughout, about 4 minutes. Remove from the grill, open, and top each with 1/4 cup basil. Serve immediately.

Grilled Shrimp & Grapefruit Salad

Serves 4

ingredients

2 grapefruits

1 pound shelled and deveined large shrimp

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 avocado, sliced

½ cup sliced red onion

¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

method

Use a sharp knife to slice off the tops and bottoms of the grapefruits, removing all of the white pith to expose the fruit. Following the curve of the fruit, slice around the sides to do the same. You should have just juicy grapefruit showing and no white pith or membranes at this point. Use a paring knife to slice between the membranes of each section to remove the segments. Put the segments into a medium bowl, discarding any pits.

Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.

Season the shrimp on both sides with salt and pepper. Drizzle with the olive oil and put on the grill. Grill until cooked through, about 2 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, add the avocado, onion, parsley leaves, extra-virgin olive oil, and a good pinch of salt to the grapefruit segments and toss to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed.